Hello from the UK.

[David]

Yep, I've heard every one of those, and quite a few more. Although I always thought that spides were the tracksuit-wearing types that you see collecting for the bonis in the spring or hanging out with millies in the queue at the dole office. I have to say that Belfast slang is the most interesting I've ever encountered, except perhaps in certain parts of London.

I'm also amazed at the vast difference in accent and slang just across the six counties of Northern Ireland, which isn't much bigger than Massachusetts. There were a few people up near Bushmills that I could hardly understand, and in a pub in Larne I couldn't make anyone out until we had shared a bit of whiskey. There is a pair of brothers here in Minneapolis that came from Poleglass that have an accent and use words that I haven't heard anywhere else in Northern Ireland, and Poleglass is pretty much part of Belfast. Very strange country you have there, and quite entertaining, too!